Theme Songs

Appropriate Use of the Theme Song, Reading: The Sport of Champions! by Sara Hickman

The theme song, Reading: The Sport of Champions! by Sara Hickman may be used by Texas librarians to promote the 2006 Texas Reading Club, “Reading: The Sport of Champions!,” the library, and reading. Librarians may play or perform the song on public library premises in the State of Texas, and in Texas schools and childcare centers for promoting the Summer Reading Club, and at any free outreach programs. Texas librarians who play the audio recording or perform the song must provide credit to Sara Hickman to all audiences.

The song may be used only for non-profit purposes. Libraries may not reproduce the sound file for distribution or sale. To use the song for broadcast purposes with PSA's, commercials, etc., permission must be obtained from Sara Hickman. To request permission; contact

C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N!
We got it, we got it, we got it going on. Oh, yea!
C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N!
We got it, we got it, we got it going on.

Verse:

Oh, we…love to dance, to hop, to surf to sled and skip
And sail and soar until the day is done.
There’s throwing, catching, climbing, passing, swimming, flipping,
And, yes, we like to run!
There’s snorkeling, biking, tumbling, hiking, all are lots of fun.
But let me tell ya what this champion thinks is #1.

Chorus:

Ohhhh…Read! I love to read! She loves to read!
To plant the seed that feeds my readin’ need for me to be informed.
Since I was born, Since she was born,
I’ve heard the words, She’s heard the words,
And now I read what I have heard because that’s how I love to learn.

Spoken:

So now that I have shared my cares,
I’ll let you take a turn:

Chant:

C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N
We got it, we got it, we got it going on.
C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N
We got it, we got it, we got it going on.
Who do? We do!
You do? Me, too!
We do we do we do we do we do we do…

(Instrumental Solo)

Chorus:

Oh, read! I love to read! She loves to read!
To plant the seed that feeds my readin’ need for me to be informed.
Since I was born, Since she was born,
I’ve heard the words, She’s heard the words,
And now I read what I have heard because that’s how I love to learn.
And now I read what I have heard because that’s how I love to learn.

Reading Makes Champions of Us All!

(By Sally Meyers)

(Sing to the tune of “The Caissons Go Rolling Along” by Edmund Louis Gruber. If you are not familiar with the tune, a music file is on-line at NIEHS Kids’ Pages.)

Grab a bat, hit that ball!
Run the bases, and stand tall!
Playing baseball, a sport for us all!

Get the ball, lead the group,
Dribble fast and hit the hoop!
Playing b’ball, a sport for us all!

Chorus:
It’s R! E! A! D!
Reading is the sport for me,
Reading makes champions of us all! Rah! Rah! Rah!
If you want to win, then join the reading team.
Cause it’s reading, the sport for us all!

Kick the ball, go for the net!
Get a goal and you’ll be set!
Playing soccer, a sport for us all!

Pass the ball, far and high,
The receiver’s standing by!
Playing football, a sport for us all!

Chorus

Water’s fine, jump right in!
Pick a stroke then race to win!
Let’s try swimming, a sport for us all!

Grab your shoes, take your mark!
Sprint just once around the park!
Track and Field is a sport for us all!

Chorus

Texas Reading Club 2006 Programming Manual / Reading: The Sport of Champions!
Published by the Library Development Division of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission